As They Grow Up
by dearallyhansen
Summary: Will Harry Potter ever get the wonderful family that he’s always dreamed of and deserved? Only the amazing JK Rowling owns Harry Potter and these characters, with exception of any OC’s that I may create. Trigger Warning: suicide, Depression, anxiety, PTSD, Alcoholism, and Domestic Violence. Eventual Harry adoption fic. Slytherin!Harry. Nice!Snape.
1. I Wish, I wish

It was a beautiful summer's day behind the bushes under Number 4 Privet Drive's kitchen window. Across the street, Mrs. Figg was walking briskly alongside several of her cats. Harry waved and she waved back.

Suddenly, Harry cringed as screams and wails came from inside the house. His aunt, Petunia Dursley, must have done something to anger her husband, Harry's uncle Vernon, again.

Not a moment later, the boy heard the front door squeak open and Dudley came wandering outside. He sat up, glancing momentartily at his cousin. Dudley hated Harry to the point where he treats his cousin as if he doesn't exist, but something seems to bring the two boys to be close for a moment when occurances happen to Petunia or to Dudley. (But never when it happens to Harry, though.)

Dudley sat not far from from where Harry lay, wishing as much as the next boy that his mum's screaming and his dad's punching would cease.

Tears brimmed in his sea-blue eyes and not for the first time, they wondered why this happened to them all.

"Wish we could do something." Harry muttered.

As much as Harry was hit, he wouldn't wish this pain upon his worst enemy.

"It'd be us next even if we tried. Mum's screaming is giving me a headache."

For a moment, no sounds of punches being thrown or verbal anger were heard. They did hear, however, hear the sound of a cupboard opening and then slamming shut and a Alcohol lid popping off. So his uncle had been drinking. That explained most of what was happening today.

The front door squeaked open again and Petunia limped out.

"Hey! You!" She always yelled at Harry unless they were outside, for fear of what the neighbors would think. "Bring me some ice! And don't take forever doing it!" Her voice sounded hoarse and newly formed purple brusies were growing bigger by the second on her arms and under her eyes.

Harry sped into the house as she heard his aunt say sweetly to Dudley:

"Dudders, you can either go to the Polkises or go up to your room if you would, please."

Which one Dudley chose, he wasn't sure. But he found Aunt Petunia in her bedroom, covering her wounds with makeup.

"Here you go, Aunt Petunia."

"About time! You're not nine anymore, freak! Move more quickly next time! Now leave my sight!"

"Yes, Aunt Petunia." But it was like he wasn't there, for she seemed not to have heard him.

He headed back to his favorite spot, the roseberry bush under the kitchen window. Not only were the berries a delight to snack on, but he was left alone there. Most of the time. On his way to the door, his drunk uncle blocked the path. Before he knew it, he found himself on the ground, deflecting a knee to the stomach. He got up, slowly, and attempted to cover his face and won. This time. But much as the 10 year old wished he could save himself from the usual emotional torment he endured, he couldn't. Phrases like, "Unwanted!" and "freak!" came out of his uncle's foul-smelling mouth.

Soon, black dots were beginning to form in his peripherials (feom yet ANOTHER punch in the head) and then the world faded from view.

\- - -

Several hours later, Harry awoke to darkness and silence, which meant that everyone was asleep. The first thing that registered was pain. He HURT. Everywhere. His heart felt like it was being squeezed to death. His arms hurt and he had a massive headache. He knew because of the darkness that it was very late. He peeked at the clock on the wall. Midnight. He sighed. He wondered if he should just go to bed in his cupboard. No, he decided. He would go out to his favorite spot. It's not like his relatives would care where he was, anyway.

\- - -

Tears slid down the little boy's cheeks. He wondered, not for the millionth time, what it was like to have a mum and dad and maybe even a sibling who loved you. He looked up at the night sky, sparkling with stars. A small smile showed on his face, just for a quick moment as a shooting star flew through the sky.

"I wish I may..." He whispered, though no one was around to hear his words.

"I wish I might...I wish something wonderful would happen in my life..."

His eyes drooped tiredly. As the next hour passed, he drifted off to sleep under that bush.

\- - -

Harry wanted more than anything to be appreciated and loved in one way or another.

He seemed to have forgotten that in just two days, he would have his eleventh birthday.

And boy, was he in for the surprise of his life.


	2. 2 Surprise of A Lifetime (Round 1)

The next morning, Harry woke up to Petunia's shrill voice. "Vernon, where has the boy gone off to now? He's supposed to weed the garden."

"How am I supposed to know? It's not my job!"

Slowly, he left the night he spent in hos favorite spot and regretfully walked into the pristine house.

"BOY!" He has been spotted by his aunt and shoved gardening supplies. "Go do something about your messy hair and weed the back garden!"

"Fine."

Vernon looked at Harry meaningfully.

"I mean...Yes, aunt Petunia."

His uncle gave a grunt of approval and went back to the newspaper he was reading.

Harry walked to the bathroom and began to brush his hair. It was no use. It always stayed the unruly mess that it was. Except, he liked it though. It hid his lightning-bolt shaped scare just enough so that people don't stare at it, but Harry could just barely see it without moving too much of his hair.

But that was no matter to his bossy aunt. Every now and again, she attempts to cut his hair, but it always grows back on its' own for some bizarre reason. And he always gets in trouble for it.

"I brushed my hair. I'll go do the garden now."

The front door shut behind him.

He always liked the small garden. Harry had always been rather good with his hands and he got to be alone.

-

An hour later, he walked back in to the house.

"Make breakfast. And try not to burn anything, freak. That was the first thing Aunt Petunia said to him every morning after his morning chore.

"Yes Aunt Petunia."

Just then, the post came through the postslot

in the door.

"YOU! Get the post!" Vernon always yelled at Harry, even when he wasn't drunk.

"Yes, Uncle Vernon."

At that moment, Dudley chose to waddle down the stairs.

"Dudley! How's my wonderful Diddlykins this morning?" She ran to her son, hugging him.

"Mornin, Dudders. Hope my growing boy today?"

Dudley sat at the table and rudely belched, loudly.

"Hurry up, Potter, I'm hungry!"

Harry turned away from the door after picking up

the post. Bills for Vernon, a letter from Marge for Petunia...and a letter for Harry?

Quickly, he read the front of the envelope. In green ink, it read:

Mr. H Potter

Little Whinging, Surrey

Number 4 Private Drive

The Cupboard Under The Stairs

He didn't know anyone! Who would be writing to him? He turned it over and found a red stamp of an owl etched with the letter H.

What was it? Was it perhaps a birthday card from aome long-lost relative, writing to take him away from these terrible people?

But no, tomorrow was his birthday.

Uncle Vernon's loud voice inturrupted his thoughts.

"BOY! What's taking so long? You wouldn't have recieved a letter, have you?" He laughed at his own joke.

Realizing that he was taking too long, he walked out to the kitchen, stuffing his letter into his pants. He didn't know that Aunt Petunia saw it.

"I'm hungryyyyyy!" Dudley whined.

"There, there, Dudders. The boy was just about to make breakfast. What do you want today, sweetums? Pancakes? Crepes? Petunia cood to Dudley, glaring at Harry.

"Crepes! With Honey and Nutella!"

Harry sighed, resigned to his fate of cooking breakfast.

It was only 8 AM. It was going to be a very long day.

-

Harry slipped outside the front door and out to his favorite spot. Finally, it was time to find out what that letter was all about.

He carefully slipped the letter out of his pants. Harry marvelled at the beautiful green ink that spelled out his name in a formal manner and referenced where he lived. He turned the envelope over and started to open it but froze when the front door opened.

"BOY! Give me that!" Petunia freaked out over the idea of him having a letter, and to be honest, he was freaking out himself. Who in their right mind would send him a letter?

She turned over the letter and saw the stamp with an owl and an H and gasped.

"Aunt Petunia, why are you going pale?"

"Don't ask questions!" Petunia snapped, her voice shaking.

She slipped the letter into her pocket and raced into the house

-

Petunia

The skinny, brittle-boned woman walked into her bedroom. A Hogwarts letter? Well, both of his parents were one, so he had to be a...a wizard. One of those? In her own HOUSE? No, she thought, she wouldn't put up with it. That nonsense doesn't belong here. It's just a bunch of people saying funny words and waving a stick around. What's so special about that? True, once upon a time, she did want to be one at one point, but times have changed. She'd grown and married Vernon, who turned out to detest that rubbish as much as she has.

Vernon...how would he react to this? The letter? He'd probably beat her again. And probably Dudley too, just for the heck of it. She shuddered. Harry, most likely, as well. But that didn't matter. But she could not, no, absoloutley not, let her precious Diddlekins get hurt. There were a few nasty times where it had happened...

Her thoughts returned back to the letter. I supposed I should read it, she thought. So she did.

It began:

"Dear Mr. Potter,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and WIzardry. Please find enclosed a list of all nessessary books and equipment.

Term starts on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July."

Petunia looked up. She remembered Owls flying in and out of her house when Petunia was younger because of her sister. Why couldn't Harry have been more like Lily, instead of his proud and arrogant father, James? Except for his eyes. He had Lily's eyes.

She glanced back down at the letter.

31 July? That's tomorrow! Oh well, I supposed I will have tonight to think about it.

Should I give Harry the letter? That would be the only thought on her mind for the rest of the day.

-

Vernon

Vernon Dursley walked into his room to find his wife staring at a wall, holding a...piece of paper? "Petunia?"

That seemed to snap her out of her daze. She looked at him. If she seemed the at all suprised that he was once again holding a brandy she didn't show it.

"Oh, h-hello, V-Vernon.", She spoke lightly, hiding her stutter and stowing the paper away in her pocket.

"What is that you're holding?", He half-shouted, brandy causing him to slur his words already. He

stuck his hand rudely into her pocket making her gasp. He didn't care if she'd welcomed that bodily touch or not. He wanted to see what she was keeping from him.

He set his drink down upon a nearby wardrobe and looked at what he'd pulled from the pocket of her flowery dress.

It was an already opened envelope. She opened it without telling him about this first? Enraged, Vernon punched her in the face.

He saw remants of a red stamp, bearing some kind of crest and and owl. Is it that wizarding rubbish that she mentioned years ago? Turning the envelope over, he read the words, "Mr. H.

Potter, Cupboard Under The Stairs". Putting two and two together, he fumed. This made him furious! And the fact that his wife read this and took it without saying anything! He punched her again. And kicked her. And shoved her into tbe wardrobe, sending the brandy he'd put there flying and causing glass to shatter on the crystal white tile and tan rug. This only angered him further. He punched and kicked and pushed Petunia with everything he had. This felt good. But it wasn't enough. He saw his good-for-nothing nephew down the hall heading to his cupboard.

"BOY!" He slurred, but the boy seemed to still be pretty scared, because he jumped with fright and scampered over to the room where Vernon was. He paled, seeing Petunia sobbing on the floor next to him.

"How dare you—..." He punched the boy everywhere and anywhere until he was unconcious. Vernon then picked up the boy by his shirt as if he was a rag doll and threw him into his cupboard, making sure he hit his head on the wall.

"Little freak.," He thought.

Then Vernon went and passed out on the couch in the living room.

-

Dudley

Later in the evening, Dudley went downstairs after playing some of his most violent video games on his computer. He didn't understand why his weird cousin had to live with them, but if he really thought about it, he didn't mind it all that much. It meant that he wasn't the only younger person in the house and that his cousin could be his punching bag to help him escape from his dad. Really though, Dudley didn't understand why his parents hated Harry so much. If he really tried, he supposed he could learn to love his cousin.

But did he really care though?

He stopped in his tracks and ended his thoughts, gasping at the sight that lay before him. Harry's cupboard door was wide open. Blood covered the walls and he laid on his mattress, unconsious. Without really knowing what he was doing or why, because after all, he didn't like his cousin, he walked in to Harry's bedroom...er, Cupboard. A tear slid down his round, chubby cheek. His dad did this? The proud, strong man he was supposed to look up to? He knew that his dad always hit his mum, but he didn't think it was ever that bad. But that says otherwise!

He touched the blood on Harry's head. What should he do? Should he call somebody?

But before he could consider doing anything, the sticky blood on Harry's head and around his stomach began to fade.

"What the..." Dudley muttered, confused.

He watched as his cousin opened his eyes.

-

Harry

Harry opened his eyes slowly, beginning to remember what happened. What had he done this time? Did it have something to do with the letter he found? He glanced around him to find Dudley staring openmouthed at him, eyes wide.

"Did my dad do this to you?"

"Yeah," Harry answered absently, sitting up slowly. "He does this kind of a lot to me and Aunt Petunia. I think he hit you once, too."

Dudley paused, and Harry could see that he was thinking about what to say.

"I'm sorry for the way I've treated you over the years, Harry."

"I accept your apology, Dudley. I'm sorry for setting a snake loose on you at the Zoo. I didn't mean for that to happen, honest!" He gave a wan smile, referring to Dudley's birthday with Piers, Petunia, and Vernon.

Now, I think we should go see if Aunt Petunia is okay."

The bigger boy nodded once, following Harry out of his Cupboard.

The two cousins found Petunia in her and Vernon's bedroom, sprawled on the ground unconsious. Harry looked at Dudley, who seemed to be his friend now, to see how he was taking this. His chubby, normally glowing face seemed to pale at the sight and his cheeks reddend wth tears sliding down his face.

"What should we do, Harry? Should we call someone?"

"I don't know. I think she's going to be okay, though."

He examined the purple bruise under her eye, and the cuts on her arm.

"I think there's glass in her arm."

Not waiting for his cousin's response, Harry walked further into the room and spotted the envelope and letter a foot apart from each other."

"So Vernon knows now..."

He picked up the letter and read through it quickly. It talked about him, which he found crazy. The only time adults talked about him was when he was apparently being a bad little boy, like Parent Teacher conferences, or when neighbors made comments to Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon about seeing a dark-hard boy in their front yard. Vernon would deny his existance, and then come in the house and beat him, calling him a freak in the process. Petunia would say that her criminal nephew is living with them and them she'd come in and swat him with a fly swatter.

His eyes widend at the word Wizardry. A Wizard? He couldn't be a Wizard! That kind of stuff wasn't real! Or...was it?

An owl before July 31? That was tomorrow! And he had no idea what that meant...

He found Dudley looking at him, so he stowed the letter away in his pants.

The cousins walked out of the room, unsure of what to do, both thinking about different things.

An owl...

How was he going to respond to that special school and tell them he wanted to go?

Maybe this was all a really weird dream. Maybe Dudley wasn't actually going to be his friend and he and his gang were going to chase him again like normal.

Who knows.

Harry looked at the clock above the fireplace in the living room. 9 o'clock already? He saw Uncle Vernon asleep on the couch and lept up. Harry simultaneously didn't want to be here when his Uncle awoke and wanted to sleep, so off to his Cupboard he went, the letter traveling with him.

\- - -


	3. Surprise Of A Lifetime (Round 2)

Hello all! I hope you're enjoying the story so far! I apologize if it seems to dark, gruesome, and angst. Also, sorry, this chapter is a bit shor But life is always happening!

Please, feel free to leave a review! Critiques are always welcome! Or you're welcome to PM me too. :)

Tell me your favorite part so far!!

Does anyone use/read from Archive Of Our Own/Ao3? ~dearallyhansen

\- - -

The next morning, Harry woke to the sound of Vernon yelling at the telly and Aunt Petunia knocking on the door and saying, "Up! Up! You mow the lawn this morning!"

Harry groaned. Why did he have the feeling that today was just going to be like every other birthday he had endured with the Dursleys?

Reluctantly, he tore himself away from sleep. He was having a very good dream too. There was a large, jolly man on a motorbike, with a sleeping baby next to him. He had a feeling that baby had been him, because the little one had a lighting-bolt shaped scar...

He got dressed and took the lawn mower out of the garage. Why the Dursleys bothered tending to their lawn, Harry didn't know. It was already immaculate.

After that was done, he walked back into the house.

"Plant these bulbs in the front yard! And then take a shower, you smell disgusting, freak."

"Yes, Aunt Petunia."

She handed her nephew a few daisy bulbs and he went back outside to plant them.

-

After the flowers were planted and He'd showered and dressed, he cooked eggs on the stove for Petunia, Vernon, and Dudley.

"Thanks, Harry," Dudley said quietly.

Harry smiled.

By midafternoon, Aunt Petunia made Harry clean every square inch of the two story house. The whole time, his cousin watched TV, played video games, and hung out with his gang, which made Harry realize that he hadn't changed, not really. Not that he would've expected anything

more, anyway.

It was 4 in the afternoon by the time he finished cleaning and in his cupboard he flopped onto his bed in frustration.

-

**_Serverus Snape_**

It was nearing 3pm at Hogwarts. This year, he reluctantly agreed to helping Dumbledore and Mcgonagall with reading the answers from coming-of-age students. The Headmaster and Transfiguration teacher were pleased that he said yes to helping them this time, as they had been begging him for years. Upon arrival, he groaned at the at least a thousand letters atop the Headmaster's desk. He knew it was going to take all day! Time well spent, he sighed. At least they were done now.

A letter of assurance of his arrival never came from Potter. That troubled him. Even with James and Lily gone, he was sure that boastful Potter was going to be just like his father, first to everything. And yet, 4pm the deadline, came and went with no letter from the boy. He decided that the first coarse of action that he should take is to talk to Minerva.

He stuck his hand in the floo powder, threw it in the flames, and shouted, "Message to Minerva Mcgonagal!". His head found her in her office and saw the woman sitting at her desk. He watched her look up and jump.

"Good heavens, Serverus! What a surprise! How may I help you?"

"Evening Minnie. May we meet for tea in, say, ten minutes?"

"My office or yours?" She replied matter-of-factly.

"I'll be at yours in ten minutes if that's fine by you?"

"I'll see you in ten with tea all ready made, Snape."

They smiled at one another, and he was back in his office.

The shoulder-length haired man pulled on his robes and a pair of black slippers. He made sure the potion he had been making sat at a stand-still. All ingrediants were put in their place but the professior made sure to double check, as he always did when he was leaving his potions lab. Serverus Snape briskly left his office for his evening tea with the Head of Gryffindor House.

-

"So what brings you to tea with me on this sunny afternoon, Serverus?" Mcgonagall asked.

"Do you realize today that we did not recieve a letter from one Mr. Harry Potter?"

"That did cross my mind, Serverus. It did leave me a bit curious, but that does happen from time to time with students, does it not?"

"True, true, yet I feel that this situation is...different. With the parents he had (rest in peace my sweet Lily), there's no way he could have opted not to come to Hogwarts..."

Minerva nodded thoughtfully. "I agree. The boy's name has been accepted into this prestigeous

school since Lily had him! Do you

think something is wrong? I do hate those muggles that Dumbledore placed

him with..."

"Wait, they placed him with muggles? Do you happen to know who?"

"I believe they were called The Dursleys. You couldn't have found muggles who hated wizards more." The professor huffed indignantly, nose in the air.

"Minnie, what do you say to paying them a visit and seeing how the little Potter boy is doing?"

"This is out of character for you Serverus! I must say, I'm a bit shocked. But yes, I think that would be very good for Harry, and for my well-being as well."

They stood up to leave Minnie's office.

-

Harry

This time, Harry Potter chose the backyard as his sanctuary. The large, rather lavish back yard wasn't as nice, in his opinion, but was still a very good place to be alone, away from the Dursleys but close enough to hear just about everything.

-

"I saw what you were hiding from me, Petunia."

She gulped.

"I did not, however, get to read the letter." Vernon's tone was threatening, like lightning and storm clouds pulling in on a windy day.

"Will you tell me what it said?"

"He's...like her." She said softly through clentched teeth, referring to Lily.

"We swore when we took the boy in that we were going to stomp the magic out of him! We are not dealing with a...magicman..in the house, Petunia!" He got up and pulled out seveal bottles of all sorts of alcolhol, including brandy and vodka and opened the vodka, drinking slowly.

"I'm not disagreeing with you! I don't want that nonsense around Dudders!"

He muttered nonsense about silly robes and cloaks and took a great swig of vodka.

"As much as I despise the boy, I'm not willing to have another wandwaving freak in my life." she whispered.

"The settles it, then. He's not going!"

"I never said he was or that I wanted him to, Vernon." she continued whispering.

Her husband took another gulp of alcohol and screamed. "You and your talking back has got to stop!"

She went over to scrub the dishes in the sink and wimpered.

Vernon grouchily drank again and stomped over to their bedroom.

He paused on the way there when there was a knock on the door.

-

**_Harry_**

"BOY!"

Harry wondered who was at the door. Nobody ever visited him on his birthday, and Grunnings laid Uncle Vernon off a long time ago. From his angry shout, and Dudley's lack of stomping down the stairs from his room, it doesn't sound like he, Dudley, or Petunia were expecting anyone either. He lazily got up from the soft grass he'd been plucking. Two steps in the house told him that his Uncle has been drinking.

"You! Answer the door!" Petunia's shrill voice got Harry to move faster. As he opened the door, Dudley came running down the stairs.

"WHO IS IT-" Dudley screeched, ever the impatient one.

Harry heaved a sigh, and pulled open the door.

A dark-haired, shoulder length man and a tall woman who's hair was pulled back into a very tight bun stood at the door.

Harry and Dudley stared up at both of them.

"Hi. I'm Minerva Mcgonagal, and this is Serverus Snape. We're from Hogwarts. Are either of you Harry?"

"T-that's me.." said Harry nervously.

Dudley looked at Harry curiously.

"May we come in? It's rather warm out here and we'd like to speak to you."

" Okay, sure." Harry guestured to the rest of the house nervously.

They stepped inside, and sat down at Petunia's pristine kitchen table. Dudley and Harry, who was wondering what was going on, followed suit.

"Wwwwwwhooo are this funnnnny looking people?" Vernon slurred.

Petunia, taking in their robes and realizing what was about to unfold, looked between these people and Vernon nervously and spoke in a very defensive tone.

"We are NOT letting the boy go learn some fuddy duddy magic like my stupid sister and her crappy husband who went and got themselves killed by some mad magician!"

Harry gasped. "You told me they died in a car crash!"

"A car crash?! Petunia, why would you

lie to your own nephew?!" Snape looked agast. He barely sat down, and this is what he was fed?

"My sister was IDOLIZED by our parents in my house. All she could do was wave a magic wand, and suddenly, she was the favorite! Both of us equal, she and I were the best of friends! Then she went and became a...a wandwaving freak and then we lost touch and then she married that other wandwaving brat! They had you," she

spoke loudly, pointing to Harry. "and went and got themselves blown up and then we got stuck with you!"

"Thhhe boy is noottt a wizzzarddd. Noot in this houuseee." Vernon piped up sleazily

but angrily, barely able to make human speech.

Minerva spoke. "You should be proud to have a wizard in your home! His name has been down for Hogwarts ever since he was a baby!"

Then she turned to addres the now eleven year old boy sitting in front of her and Snape.

"Harry, do you want to go to a magic school

and learn how to be a wizard?"

"Oh yes! that sounds really cool!"

"Wonderful! As it's your choice and not your Uncle's or Aunt's, I would like to inform you that you are offically accepted to Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry!" Mcgonagal smiled.

"Cool!" Harry's eyes gleamed.

His Aunt and Uncle huffed,

It was Serverus's turn to speak.

"Potter, one of us would like to take you to Diagon Alley today to purchase your school things. Would that be okay with you?"

"Yes, sir!" Harry clapped.

"Which one of us would you like to accompany you?"

Harry turned to Minerva. "Can you take me, ma'am?"

"Yes, child, I would be glad to. And you can call me Minnie." she said softly, smiling.

"Thank you, I'm very grateful, Minnie!"

She could see none of James in the little boy but in the last five minutes or so of meeting, she could see all of Lily. And he had her stunning green eyes.

The two older Wizards get up from the table to leave.

"Wonderful! Shall we be off?"

-


	4. Curious Wanders and New Friends

**Hello friends! Sorry for the wait on this chapter! I just wanted to make it good and long for you! Lol. **

**I hope you like what I've done with each character and as always, please review! **

**\- - -**

They were standing in front of a tiny pub titled The Leaky Cauldron. Looking around, he realized that no one else seemed to notice the shabby pub.

"So...I really am a wizard?" Harry looked up at Minnie, smiling widely for what might have been the first time in his life.

"Yes, Harry. You're a wizard. And your Mum and Dad were the best wizards the world

ever knew."

"My parents were wizards too? Did you know them?"

"Yes I did. They were in my House at Hogwarts. Now, let's go get you ready for school." She said, opening the door for Harry.

The owner of the pub looked up at the pair of them. "Afternoon, Minnie. Been a long time since I've seen you here. What can I get for you today?"

"Nothing today, Tom. On offical Hogwarts business with Harry here."

"Bless my soul-is that Harry Potter?"

All noise seemed to quiet immediately except for mutterings of, "Harry Potter?" all around him. What was going on?

"Doreen Finnigan, Mr. Potter."

"Lovely to finally meet you, Mr. Potter."

"Dedalus Diggle, Mr. Potter. Pleased to make your aquantience."

All sorts of strange people walked up to him. And all of them seemed to know who he was! Harry found it rather strange and he had no idea why it was happening.

"All right, all right, how about we get going? Lots to do, lots to do-oh! Hello Professor Quirrel!" Before the pair stood a man dressed in purple robes and a lavender turban.

"H-Hello Minerva. N-n-nice to meet you, Mr. Potter."

"Harry, Professor Quirrel is your DADA Professor at Hogwarts."

"DADA?"

"Defense Against The Dark Arts."

"H-h-here t-to buy y-your stuff for s-school, M-Mr. P-P-Potter?"

"Yes, sir. Let's go Minnie!"

"See you later, Quirius."

She and Harry walked to a brick wall around the next corner where Minnie pulled out her wand. She proceeded to tap six different brick walls. And then...

Harry gasped. The walls opened before him, revealing a whole other world. Shops galore lined the path before him and dozens of people dressed in black cloaks were lazily strolling down the streets. He saw people carrying owls, cats,wands, broomsticks, and talking animatedly to one another.

"Do you by chance have the list from the letter with you, Harry?

"No."

"That's quite all right. I have one right here." She withdrew a first years' list of school supplies. Harry read through it quickly. There were

several books, first year robes, a potions cauldron, and a wand.

"Minnie?" he asked quietly.

"Yes Harry?"

"I don't have any money...is this going to cost a lot? How am I to pay for these things?"

The professor smiled. "Your parents didn't leave you empty-handed. See that tall building right there? That's Gringotts, the Wizard bank. We're headed there first, and there you'll find out what I mean."

The little boy smiled and began to walk faster.

-

Harry had been amazed, as well as a little creeped out, by the Goblins in the Wizard bank. He'd never seen creatures that looked like that before! The Goblin they went to said he was called Griphook. He led them down to a train cart where they rode for a very long time, which made Harry wonder how big this place actually was? When they got to his vault, he was shocked at the piles of gold, silver, and copper coins inside the little space. It awed him. Minne had given him a drawstring bag and told him to put a small handful in there, so he did.

Now they were at Madame Malkins Robe Shop. Madame Malkin was a pleasant, chirpy older lady who's grey hair was so poofy it covered half her face. She smelled of Lavender and peaches. Harry smiled.

"Minerva! What a wonderful surprise! What brings you down here?"

"I'm here with young Harry who is getting his school supplies today."

"Hello young man!" she said, turning to him. "Follow me for your robes!"

The two of them went to near the back of the store, where five kids wearing robes stood on pedastals, with measuring tapes floating next to them doing its' job. Madame Malkin told Harry to stand on the middle pedastal between a girl with bushy brown hair and a boy with white-blond hair.

"Hi!"

"Hello," Harry said nervously to the blond boy.

"I'm Draco. That's Hermionie, and next to me are Ron, and the twins Fred and George."

"I'm Harry-"

Hermonie inturrupted. "You're Harry Potter! I've read all abot you, of course."

"Are you a first year? We were surprised when I got a letter. We hadn't heard of Hogwarts before! But Mom and dad are so pleased.

"Yeah, this year will be my first year. Are all of you first years too?"

"We aren't." The Twins chorused.

"I am."

"I am too!"

Harry smiled. So at least he would know three other first years, as well as Fred and George. He might even have friends by the time school starts!

But suddenly, something worried him. All of them seemed to know so much about Hogwarts, and Wizardry, and four of them haven't even started school yet! Was he going to be the dumbest wizard in the school?

"Are your parents Wizards too?"

"Yep! Father works at the Ministry as the Offical Orchestrator for Wizard Events and Mother is the Orchestrator Assistant for Witch Events." Draco smiled at a man with long blond hair, who was obviously Draco's Father. He had his back turned to them, possibly searching the Men's section for new robes.

"Yeah, Mum stays at home with me and Fred and George's sister, Ginny.

"Must be nice to have siblings." Hermionie whispered dreamily, only loud enough for Harry to hear. Then louder Hermionie said, "No, Mum and Dad are both muggleborn."

"Muggleborn?" Harry looked at Hermionie quizzically.

"Non-magic people. Do you live with Wizards? I'm assuming you don't, just because you didn't know what that meant."

"Nope. My Aunt, Uncle, and cousin hate Wizardry."

"Oh, I'm sorry." All of them looked at him apologetically."

Madame Malkin came by. "Ms. Granger and all 3 Mr. Weasleys, all of you are done. You can take your robes and find your parents over by the registers."

"It was good to meet you all! See you on the train?"

"Yeah!" Ron pumped his fists in the air.

"Father would be glad to hear I made some friends." Draco smiled shyly.

Fred and George nodded simultaneously and Harry smiled in response.

The two boys watched as they thanked Madame Malkin and then walked away.

"So what House do you think you'll be Sorted into? Draco asked Harry. "I think I'm going to be in Slytherin, as Slytherin has been my family's House for generations."

"House? Sorted?"

"When we get to school, there will be a huge welcome feast, and one of the teachers-probably Mcgonagal, she always does it-will place a hat on your head, and the hat will tell you what hat your in."

"That sounds cool."

"The Houses are Gryffindor for the brave, Hufflepuff for the humble, Ravenclaw, for the intelligent, and Slytherin, for the cunning."

"Cool! I'm probably going to be put in the lamest House, knowing me."

"Aw, I don't think you're lame so far! I bet you're gonna go to Slytherin with me."

Harry smiled at the compliment.

Madame Malkin came back. "You're finished now too, Mr. Malfoy."

"It was good to meet you, Draco!"

"See you on the train, Harry!"

Draco thanked Madame Malkin and walked away, leaving Harry alone.

He smiled. He has friends! That's never happened to him before. He wondered how the Dursleys

would react. Probably not well...he frowned. Vernon would beat him, Petunia would yell at him, and Dudley...he'd probably laugh at him.

Madame Malkin walked back once more. "You can go find Minnie now, Mr. Potter."

He thanked Madame Malkin and found Minnie by the register. Today she was holding on to Harry's coin bag since he didn't know which coin was which yet. She paid with coins from the bag and they left.

Next, they bought ingrediants and a cauldron for potions. Minnie took Harry to Florean Fortesque's Ice Cream Parlor for a treat and then they went to the Apothecary. He saw a beautiful snowy white owl who immediately flew to land on his shoulder.

He loved her.

"How much for the snowy white owl?

The manager of the Apothecary told her, she

paid, and the pair left.

"Harry, I bought the owl for you, not from the bag, but from my pocket. Happy birthday, sweet Harry.

The boy's cheeks turned red. "Thank you, Minnie!"

"What are you going to name her?"

"Hedwig."

-

They were inside Olivander's now. Harry thought they had to have been there an hour already, having tried out several wands.

"Here, try this one, Mr. Potter. Horse hair, 12 inches."

The child at first thought it strange to be referred to as, "Mr. Potter". But he grew to appreciate it. It meant that they respected him. He liked it much better than, "YOU!" or "BOY!"

He waved the wand and...nothing happened. Again.

"Oh...not that one!"

The older gentleman scurried to the back.

"I wonder..." Harry heard the man say.

He slid back in front of Harry.

"Here, try this one. 11', Holly, Phoenix feather. Most curious, indeed..."

"Sorry sir, but...what's curious?"

"What's most curious, Mr. Potter, is that the brother to that wand gave you that scar."

Harry widened his eyes and then looked back at the wand and waved it. This time, red sparks shot from the end of the wand.

Minnie came forward, coin bag in hand, and paid for the wand. The two of them walked out of Olivanders, hand in hand.

"Thank you for today, Minnie."


	5. A New Place To Be

**Hey guys!!**

**a few things you should know concerning this chapter: **

**-Yes, the Sorting Hat speaks to the wearer, and ONLY the wearer, when being Sorted. **

**\- (to clear up any confusion) No, Dudley isn't FOND of Harry (not completely) but he is considerably kinder to him. **

**-Harry does learn who Dubledore is even if the chapter doesn't make it clear, sorry. **

**I hope you enjoy this chapter!! As always, please review or feel free to PM me!! ~dearallyhansen**

\- - -

**_Dudley_**

Dudley lay on his bed that same afternoon, bored out of his mind. His best friend, Piers Polkiss, was visiting his dad for the weekend. He supposed he could go find any of the rest of his gang, but none of them just understood him the way Piers did.

He still didn't understand what happened with Harry and those funny people in cloaks. So Harry wouldn't be going to that other school with the smelly clothes after all? And they kept saying something about Wizards and Wizardry. Dudley thought magic wasn't real? That's what he'd always been told.

After Harry left to Diagonal...whatever the place was yesterday, his mum went grocery shopping...which left him alone with his dad who had been drinking.

He'd gotten a pretty good beating for asking if those people were...Wizards and if Harry was one too. Half his face was badly bruised still and Dudley's pretty sure that one of his figers are broken. Being on the recieving end of dad's anger...it shook him up pretty terribly.

He promised himself to be nicer to Harry, Wizard or no.

-

Minerva Mcgonagal

Minnie thought back on her afternoon with the boy. The encounter in his home troubled her. The muggles didn't seem to be too fond of the boy at all, and less so now because he happens to be a Wizard. And his uncle had been terribly drunk. She wondered how often he drank.

The child seemed to be quiet...and not in a good way. And very nervous, as well. They weren't abusing him, were they? No. They couldn't be.

It looked like the bigger boy next to Harry was nice to him though. That was good, he needed to have someone who treated him nicely inside the house.

She decided to speak to both Serverus and Dumbledore on the matter soon.

-

Later that night

Harry

"Aunt Tuney I-"

"How many times have I told you, boy, call me Aunt Petunia! And speak quieter!"

"Sorry. Aunt Petunia, Will you take me to Kings Cross tomorrow? The Hogwarts train leaves at 11:00 in the morning-" Harry rushed his words, worried she might say no. How would he get there if she said no?

"Yes, boy, I'll take you to the blasted train station! Now get put of my sight!"

"Yes, Aunt Petunia."

"Why I even bother..." Petunia muttured as she walked away.

Harry sighed. Nobody here at all seemed to appreciate him. He wandered off to his cupboard and tried to sleep.

-

Same time, Vernon

Vernon Dursely opened his eyes. He heard Harry speaking to Petunia. Goodness, that child is so annoying. Why did he have to be so loud?!" Sometimes he regrets letting his wife talk him into taking the brat in. Talking about some letter from a weird old man who knew Lily...

He heard the boy mention "Hogwarts, tomorrow" and groaned. Wizards are freakish, annoying people and the boy's parents were especially more so. All he wanted was to stomp all that nonsense out of the kid! Was that too much to ask? He'd have to beat the boy later for this.

He sat up and winced. Ouch, he was so hungover.

"Boy!"

"Yes, Uncle Vernon?"

"Bring me some advil and some water!"

"Yes, sir." He went out to the kitchen to get some and then brought them back to Vernon's room."

He popped two pills in his mouth and swallowed the water noisily.

"Out!" He barked to the boy who was staring at him.

Harry ran out and Vernon laid back down on his bed.

-

Harry woke at 5:30 am. For the first time in his life, he was excited! He'd get to ride a train, sit next to the friends that he met at Madame Malkins, and best of all, he would be away from Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia for an entire year!

It wasn't time to leave until 8 AM, but he showered and dressed anyway. He also packed and repacked all his things from Diagon Alley into his suitcase over and over again.

Finally, it was 8:00 and Harry heard Petunia walking over to his Cupboard.

"Time to go, boy, and don't make me wait!"

He grabbed his suitcase and Hedwig and hurridly followed his Aunt who walked up the stairs to find Dudley awake in his room.

"Morning Popkin! I'm taking the boy to Kings Cross station. Mommy will be back in a few hours.

"Can I come?"

Both Harry and Petunia froze. They weren't prepared to hear him ask that.

"Yes, Dudders, I supposed so." Petunia said, pausing slightly but then choosing to smile instead.

Dudley grabbed his shoes and followed both of them downstairs and out to the car. Soon, they were on the road.

Harry was surprised that Dudley chose to sit in the back with him instead of up front with his mother.

"So yu are going to Hogwarts? What train do you get on, Harry?" Dudley asked.

Harry looked at the ticket that Minnie also gave him in Diagon Alley.

"Platform 9 3/4"

"Platform what??"

"Platform 9 3/4"

"Uhm...there's no platform 9 3/4, Harry,"

"What? No. You're wrong! This is real. It HAS to be real!..."

To Harry's surprise, Petunia spoke up softly, apparently listening to the two boys' conversation. "My sister was a witch at Hogwarts. There may not appear to be a Platform 9 3/4, but if Lily spent seven years at Hogwarts, then I assure you, it's real."

That shut Dudley up. For the rest of the journey into London, they looked out their perspective windows, not speaking.

-

Finally, they arrived at Kings Cross. Harry pulled his suitcase and Hedwig out of the car after he hopped out.

"Hope you find what you're looking for. See you next summer." Dudley gave a weak smile.

Petunia didn't say anything.

He backed away from the car, and they drove away.

Harry saw carts, and he grabbed one, setting Hedwig's cage and his luggage on it. He walked into the station nervously, having no idea what he was looking for. The clock on the wall said 10:30. So he had 30 minutes.

He saw a man who clearly worked at the train station._ "__No problem, I'll just ask him.__" _He thought.

"Excuse me sir, but where's platform 9 and 3/4?" He hoped he didn't sound crazy.

"Where's what?"

"Platform 9 3/4?"

"Stop wasting my time. Platform 9 3/4 doesn't exist. You crazy person..." He wandered away.

Harry looked around. What if Dudley was right and this was all one big joke?

Suddenly, he heard the words, "Hogwarts" and "Wizardry" behind him. He turned to find Ron, Fred, George, and what must have been the rest of their family.

"Ron! Ron!"

"Oi! Harry! Come join us!"

"Could you...could you show me how to get onto the platform..." He asked awkwardly.

A middle women with bright ginger hair turned torward him. "Of course we can! The twins will go first and then you and Ron can go."

"Hi!" The twins chorused.

"You just run at the wall and fade into it. See, watch them."

Fred ran at the wall and dissapeared, with George trailing behind him.

Harry blinked. Come again?

"Here-watch Ron do it.."

Ron seemed to dissapear in the wall.

"Do you think would be able to follow now?"

"Yes ma'am."

He ran at the wall, positive he was going to crash. He squeezed his eyes shut, fearing being humiliated. As soon as he ran, he slowed to a stop.

He opened his eyes and gasped. He went from the dark greys of King Cross to a bright amber orange of an oval shaped dome that opened up to the outdoors where a red and black train sat atop metal grey tracks. Looking around, he saw millions of other kids his age and older, with parents, and carrying cats, and owls, rats,

and frogs. Suddenly, Ron came back into view.

"Hello, Harry!"

"This...is magical! It's behind a brick wall? Whoever decided it should be behind a brick wall is insane."

Ron laughed and started to drag Harry over to the train but was pulled back by his mother who had just stepped through. Harry hung back with him.

The woman turned to him.

"I'm Ron's mum. You can call me Molly." She guestured to the young girl beside her who was hiding behind her. This is Ginny. She starts Hogwarts next year."

Harry smiled and the train whistled, telling the boys that they needed to get on the train.

-

Almost an hour later, Ron's, Harry's, Fred's, and Geroge's luggage were safely tucked away in the compartment head above them. Ron was showing Harry the latest Chocolate frog card he'd recieved.

"Dumbledore again!" Ron sighed in defeat.

"Do you want it? I have about a thousand of him."

"Cool! Now I can start collecting!" Harry grinned, showing Ron the Minerva Mcgonagall card he'd gotten from his own Chocolate Frog just seconds earlier.

"So, do you really...have the scar?"

Harry lifted his bangs, showing Ron the ligjtning-bolt mark on his forhead.

"Wicked!" Ron, Fred, and George were awed.

There was a lull in the conversation as all four boys dug in for more chocolate and other sweets.

Harry pulled a face as he tasted...earwax? in a bean he just ate from Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. Both Fred and George unwrapped another Chococate Frog, Fred getting Nicolas Flamel, and George getting Godric Gryffindor, the Founder of the House he was in.

Suddenly, the corridor opened, causing Draco, Hermionie, and a round-faced, chubby boy to appear. Draco sat down next to Harry, shaking his hand and grinning. Hermionie sat across from them, next to Ron, and the other boy sat next to her.

"Who are you?" Ron asked bluntly.

"I-I'm Neville. Has anyone seen a told? Mine got away. Hermionie and Draco were helping me search for Trevor, but we haven't seen him anywhere."

"No, sorry, I haven't." Harry frowned at the chubby boy. Then, he introduced himself to Neville and smiled.

"Good see you guys again, Draco and

Hermionie."

"Neville, he might appear at the Sorting." George gave a wan smile, trying to seem helpful.

"Yeah, maybe. I lose everything! Gran's gonna kill me!"

"What house do you guys think you'll be Sorted into?" Fred asked the first years, changing the subject.

"Slytherin!" Draco cheered.

"Well, you're a Malfoy. It only makes sense."

Draco shrugged in response, agreeing. Nearly everyone knew the Malfoy line had been Slytherins for centuries.

I always got top grades in school, so maybe Ravenclaw. I don't really know where else I'd go." Hermionie's voice was quiet.

"Gryffindor, like the rest of the family, probably. But we'll see." Fred nodded at Ron, agreeing.

"I don't know. I don't know anything about magic." Harry looked away from his friends.

"I don't really think everybody does, though. You're not the only one who grew up with no magic. I didn't, either, remember?" Hermionie said gently.

"I'll probably be Hufflepuff or something." Neville commented.

"I wish all of us would be in the same house."

Me too, Draco. I doubt that's going to happen though." Hermionie frowned.

"We should change into our robes, I reckon we'll be there soon." Ron remarked.

So they did, each going to the train's chainging corridors. Eventually, all of those kids made it back to that same corridor, resuming chitchat.

"Oh, you guys can have the candy I got from the cart lady earlier. It's better to share with friends, anyway." Harry pushed the sweets he still had left more torwards the center of the train car, guesturing for his friends to have some. They each nodded their thanks and grabbed some sweets.

The train whistled again and stopped moving.

-

"Firs' Years over here!"

Harry immediately liked Hagrid. Most eleven year olds would probably be freaked out by a half-giant calling for them to ride boats across a vast lake rumored to hold a giant, human-eating octopus. But Harry thought it was so cool.

He, Ron, and Draco were in the boat right next to the tall Hogwarts Gamekeeper. At first, Ron and Draco were a little spooked, but after seeing how kind Hagrid was to them, their fear melted away pretty quickly. Quickly, they became friends with the man and he asked the young boys to join him for tea at the end of the first week, and they humbly agreed.

All of the first years were across the lake and inside the castle now. Harry could not stop looking around him. They found themselves inside a large circular dome leading to hallways and stairs every which way. In front of them, though, were two large closed French double doors.

Just then, one of the french doors opened and Minnie walked through wearing emerald green robes, her hair pulled back into a tight bun.

"Evening, First years! Through those doors is The Great Hall, where the rest of Hogwarts is waiting for you. Once in there, when I call your name I will place the Sorting Hat upon your head which will tell you the house that you belong in."

She swiftly turned, and the large group followed her beyond the doors to the front of the Great Hall.

"Aadland, Aaron!"

Harry could tell the young boy was very nervous, because he was shaking terribly. He sat on the round stool, and the hat was placed on his head. It was several minutes before the hat seemed to come to a decision.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Adlang, Tabitha!"

Once again, the old hat mused for a while, and then-

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Arneson, Tiffinie!"

The hat didn't wait long this time at all.

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Angelletii, Bella!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Bailey, Samson!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Bacchmann, Taylor!"

The hat screamed, "SLYTHERIN!"

It went on like that for a while. "Flintch-Flentley, Justin" became a Gryiffindor.

Sometimes the hat would take a while to decide and sometimes the hat would barely touch a first year's head when it screams the student's house.

Just then, Hermionie's name was called.

"Granger, Hermionie!"

She sat on the stool for a while. Harry watched with anticipation, hoping that whereever his friend was placed, he would go, too.

"SLYTHERIN!" The hat finally called.

Harry could see Draco go, "yesssss!", fist bumping Hermionie as she walked down.

More names that Harry didn't know were called after that. "Greengrass, Daphne" was Sorted into Slytheryin. Harry zoned out, every now and again hearing names like, "Hendersen, Alania" who was placed in Hufflepuff, and "Jacobsen, Isaac", a new Gryffindor.

"Longbottom, Neville!"

The round, chubby boy slowly traveled to the stool with the old, ratty hat, tripping on the way up the stairs. It had barley sat down when the hat shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!" The young Longbottom went to be with the older Weasley boys, Fred, George, and Percy.

-

_Draco's perspective, same time_

"Malfoy, Draco!"

Draco, quietly teasing a few shy first yesrs next to him, looked up as he heard his name called. Draco Malfoy stepped up to the old hat, acting as if he wasn't afraid, though he was terrified.

"_So...A Malfoy, huh? I can see that you're nothing like your father, and quick-witted like your mother."_

_"You know my parents?" _

_"Oh yes, dear boy, they were some of the hardest students to Sort! This is really quite an easy decision, must be..."_

_"SLYTHERYIN!"_

He scurried to a smiling Hermionie, grinning.

-

_Same time, Harry_

After what seemed like forever (because things take a longer time than most for an eleven year old), "Potter, Harry" was called up to the stool, after two sisters, Padma and Parvati Patil, who were put into Gryffindor. At the announcement that Harry was finally at Hogwarts, murmurs stirred among the studets. Harry walked up, his hands clammy and shaking. Slowly, he sat on the stool, and Minnie gingerly placed the hat on his head.

It was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop inside the Great Hall. Every eye was upon Harry Potter, all in the room waiting with baited breath.

"_So...I see a lot of bravery in you, as well as a lot of sly wits and survival instincts."_

_Harry frowned. "What does that mean?" _

_"Not a Ravenclaw, I see..." The Hat laughed lightly. "I sense some fine loyalty in you. Your friends are some lucky folks." _

_"But which House do I belong in?!" _

_"Patience, young one. Not destined to be a Hufflepuff, I think...hmmm, now where to put you? You show quite enough courage and bravery to be a Gryffindor, but you also posess a great amount of street smarts and wit to escape permanent pain in the home with muggles in which you live." _

_"...How do you know that? Can everybody hear this conversation?" That last question soundsd more worried than anything else, Harry felt. _

_"No. We are conversing inside your head. And don't worry, time is passing differently for you and I. So the rest of the room is not waiting as long as you may think." _

_"Oh." Was all Harry could respond with. _

_"Without the survival instincts and street smarts you have gained over the course of your life, I do not believe you would have survived your time at the Dursleys. Better be..._

_"SLYTHERIN!"_

The gasp from everyone else quickly turned into a cheer, the loudest cry coming from the far table on the left. Mcgonagall took the hat from the head of the small boy and Harry joined a grinning Hermionie and a fist-bumping Draco. The two quickly hugged, and Draco and Harry fost-bumped, and then the ragtag three turned to watch the remainder of the Sorting.

There were close to thirty names before Ron. The House of the Sly, Slytherin, gained 28 more first years until Ron's name was called.

"Weasley, Ron!"

The hat seemed to take the same amount of time as it did for Harry's sorting. After impatiently staring at Ron, the Hat shouted-

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Yessss!" Harry, Hermionie, and Draco fist-bumped each other. The new friends were all together! (Sadly without Neville or Fred and George. But they would see their Gryffindor pals around.)

After "Zabini, Blaisé" (the final addition to the Slytherins), the Transfiguration professor took away the stool and hat and took a seat at the head table, next to an older gentleman with a long silvery-white beard, probably the Headmaster.

"WELCOME to another wonderful year at Hogwarts, my friends! And if it is your first year with us, we welcome you as well."

The man looked around the room, a grin on his face.

"Now then, some start-of-term announcements. Forstly, the Forbidden Forest is off limits-or, dare I say, forbidden-to all who do not wish to die a most painful death. Secondly, Quidditch Tryouts are three weeks after the first day of classes, which begin tomorrow. Thirdly, Cobblesquash! Now, let us eat, and I hope you all sleep well before the beginning of term!"

Harry was confused. He didn't see any food, contrary to the Headmaster's statement-or, there wasn't. He widened his eyes and gasped as mashed potatoes, gravy, a turkey, pizza, Shepards Pie, many different kinds of Chicken, and about a million other foods appeard up and down the table.

Harry went to bed full that night for the first time in his life. He'd been able to have as many helpings as he wanted, and got to talk to his friends and make new ones. That nightnwas the first time he could remember ever feeling that content. But there was also some sort of sadness nagging at him and he could not put his finger on it. Ah, well. He'd worry about that some other time.

The eleven year old went into his dorm that he shared with Ron, Draco, Blaisé, Taylor Bacchmann, a boy who had introuduced himself as Kyler Zarino, and another boy who went by John. The boys talked for awhile, got pajamas on, and were asleep by eleven PM that night.


	6. Change

Chapter 6

Draco woke with a start, momentarily forgetting where he was. He sat up quickly in his bunk, glancing around the room. The blonde young man blinked twice and rubbed his eyes. Six other boys were asleep in beds around the room...and Draco remembered. He's at Hogwarts.

It was their second day at Hogwarts and the first day of classes. Already he felt homesick. He missed his parents. He looked at the alarm clock on one of the dressers across the room which read 7 am. That meant his father would be leaving for the Ministry soon, and in an hour his mum would wake him and they would bake cookies or bread. But he's not going to be doing any of

the normal actuvities that he typically does with his parents now, or at least not any time soon.

His housmates would be rising soon. Hungry for breakfast, Draco swung his legs over to the ladder of the bunk and climbed down, then got dressed an sat on his bed to wait for his new friends.

He pulled a blanket from his bed and wrapped it around himself. It was cold in there!

Suddenly, an owl flew next to the window,

hooting loudly three times and then screeching even more noiseily three times. It stayed there until it realized that Draco was awake and flew away, alarming another house to wake up. He observed then as Harry, Blasiè, and the others rose.

Twenty or so minutes later, Draco sat next to Hermionie who sat between him and Blasiè and across from Harry and Ron in the Great Hall. All of them laughed at some stupid joke that Blasiè told the group. Before long, Hermionie, Blasiè, and Ron were discussing Ron pulling a disgusted face at learning that Hermionie had already begun studying over the summer as soon as she learned she was a witch. This made Harry and Draco snort.

About a hundred different flavored pastries, Cinnamon Rolls, Toasted bread with several different kinds of Jelly, and marmalade were lined up and down the table in front of them. Both Harry and Draco grabbed some food and dived into their own conversations.

The Malfoy heir more fully observed Harry as the Potter boy filled his plate and frowned as he noticed horrible brusies and nasty cuts all over his new friend's face and arms.

"Harry, are you okay?!"

"Hm?" Harry didn't look up, so Draco gussed

he was too distracted by the delicious food.

"Harry, I'm curious-why do you have cuts and brusies all over your face and arm? Your eye looks a bit swollen!"

Harry shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "No-no reason. I-I am a very clumsy person..."

Draco didn't believe any of that. Before he could respond, though, his Head of House came to their end of the table. All of the students at the table looked at the Potions Master expectantly.

"You must prepare yourselves to work very hard. The rumor that I give my Snakes special treatment is simply not true. In fact, I make my Slytherins work ten times harder because I expect more from those who are Sorted into my house." Professor Snape looked into the eyes of each pupil, showing he meant every word. "You must be on time to every class and I think this should go without saying but lateness will result in points lost. Now, here are your monthly schedules."

He paused as they looked at their schedules. Today they first had Potions with with the Gryffindors, followed by Transfiguration with the Hufflepuffs. Snape began speaking again before Draco finished looking over the first schedule.

"While you are here, I intend to be like a parent-figure to each and every one of you. If you are having trouble or simply need a leader or adult to talk to, do not hesitate to come to me. I would appreciate knowing who I have in my House." Snape smiled a grim smile. "Now, I shall see you all in Potions in twenty minutes after breakfast.

Their Potions master left and they threw away their trash, resuming each group's previous conversations.

Before Draco could decide to bring up what he and Harry were speaking about earlier, loud laughter rang out from Hermionie, Ron, and Blasiè and both boys looked on to see what caused the happy noise.

"Why doesn't Voldemort have glasses? Nobody Nose!

Befuddled looks and eye rolls passed between the group around him.

"Nobody...nose? Get it? Like...a human nose? Blaisè said, pointing to his nose. "Come on guys, it was funny!"

"Okay, well..how do Death Eaters freshen their breath?" Dementos!" Hermionie giggled.

"Nice try, but mentos are a muggle thing." Harry said, supressing a giggle.

"Knock knock!" Blasiè grinned.

"Who's there?"

"You know..."

"You know...who?" This joke made everyone chuckle this time, except for Ron.

"You don't get my jokes? There must be something seriously RON with you! Get it? Because your name's Ron?" Blasiè was being very loud, pointing at Ron.

"Oh I got them just fine, they just weren't funny. By the way, I do not appreciate my name being used as a pun." Ron said.

Both Blasiè and Ron frowned at one another and everyone else laughed again.

———

They were late to Potions even though the Dungeons were the only place in the school they were familliar with.

"Nice of you to join us, the five of you!" Snape snarled.

Any exuse they'd tried make was drowned out by the leader of their House taking five points each-putting them at a negitive 25 points on the first day!-away from them. No tables were available for the group of them to sit together, so Hermionie sat next to Daphne Greengrass, Blasiè between Taylor Bacchman and the boy that went only by John at another, Draco

and Harry sitting with Theodore Nott at one, and Ron between two idiots called Crabbe and Goyle.

"Npw, as I was saying..." Professor Snape droaned on about one thing or another about different ingredients they'd be using and the potions they would be making this year.

"Why couldn't he just skip the lecture and move on to actually making something?" Draco thought.

———

Before they knew it, they were outside Transfiguration.

"Right on time!" Hermionie cheered.

"If you don't hurry up now, you won't!" They turned to see Professor Mcgonagall swishing past in her Ruby Red robes.

Draco and Harry snickered when Hermionie gasped and rushed in and then followed her.

"Good morning Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors. I trust your first moments at Hogwarts have gone well?"

————

They had two more classes that day: Herbology and Charms. According to Professors Snape and Dumbledore, they had Potions, Transfiguration, Herbology, and Charms on Mondays,

Wenesdays, and Fridays, and the the other subjects on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It made Hermonie a little sad, because there was less learning during almost half the week, but it meant that she had an extra day to do homework, so she went with it.

Harry, Hermionie, Ron, Draco, and Blaziè were seated at a table by the fire in the common room. Their fellow Slytherins were scattered around the room as well. There were students doing homework or writing home, cute couples could be seen cuddling by the fire, and others still were talking semi-quietly or playing games such as Wizards Chess or Exploding Snap.

"Classes just barely ended are you're already doing homework, Hermionie? We have an extra day to get homework done!" Exclaimed Ron, with the rest of the trope looking at Hermione with frowns.

"Work now, play later guys. I suggest all of you

do the same. The quicker we get it done, the more time we'll have to ourselves later."

Ron rolled his eyes.

"Roll your eyes all you want, but you'll be freaking out and coming to me when you're doing your homework at the last minute!"

"Who even assigns homework on the first day of classes anyway? Geez." Draco complained.

"Relax, like 90% of it is practicing that spell for Transfiguration.

"and the other 10%?"

"Looking up these words." Hwrmionie said to Draco, sliding him a half roll of parchment with instructions from the Herbology Professor on them and patting a small stack of books next to her.

Draco poored into it, frowning.

"So we have flying lessons tomorrow too, don't

we?" Harry changed the subject before any other heated matches could begin.

"Yes!" Ron's fists pumped in the air. "I've been waiting for this forever!"

Hermionie shuddered. "Why would you force yourself to fly hundreds, maybe even thousands of feet in the air?

"For me, it energizes me. And it's just plain fun!"

"No! It's scary!"

Light giggles came from everyone except Hermionie, who huffed in annoyance in response to their laughter.

"I've known how to fly practically since I was born. Father says I'm bound to be the best Qudditich player the Wizarding world has ever seen!" The light in Dracos eyes blazed with excitement.

Harry looked at Draco, confused. "What's Quidditich?"

"It's a bit like muggle Soccer, Harry, the American version, that is." Hermione answered.

"And there's a bit of muggle American Football, too, I think." Blaziè added.

"You fly around on a broomstick. Two-or three-are hitting an average-sized ball-"

Blaziè snorted loudly.

"Blazie, that wasn't funny, man. Anyway, these players-they're called Chasers-try to hit these balls into a set of three hoops at each end of the stadium. The Keeper is the one who defends those hoops to

keep the opponets from scoring. And there are Beaters, who throw these other balls around to distract players on the other team. And then, of course, we have the Seeker, who has to catch a really tiny ball in order to end the game."

"That sound complicated, but fun."

"It's wicked fun! If first years were allowed on the team, I'm sure I'd be the best Beater." Draco said confidently.

Blaśie high fived him and said that he planned to be the other beater next year.

"I never liked playing very much. I'm not that good at it." Ron frowned. But I like watching! My favorite team is the Chudley Cannons!"

"The Falmouth Falcons are my favorite!" Draco cheered.

"Nah, they're the worst team. Even the Holyhead Harpies would beat them!" Ron argued.

"Are you kidding, the Holyhead Harpies are incredible!" Blasiè put in. "You just hate them because they're girls."

Ron's face reddened. "...n-no I don't!"

Hermione, who could detect a lie from a mile away, looked ready to throw hands. "That's incredibly sexist, Ron!"

"So what if it is?"

"Girls can do anything boys can do." She huffed.

"I'm not saying girls shouldn't be allowed to play...only that they're bad at it." said Ron.

"That's rubbish. More often than not, girls have ten TIMES the skill boys do."

"Are you saying you think you could beat me in quidditch?"

Hermione blushed. "I thought you said you didn't play? At any rate, no, because I'm scared of heights."

"I didn't say I don't play. I said I wasn't a fan of playing because I'm not very good."

"Whatever, then" She shrugged.

Draco glanced over at Harry, wondering if he could get his friend to tell him the truth, when he looked down at the boy's arms and saw that the brusies and assortment of different marks were gone.

_"A glamour, maybe?"_

Draco inwardly shrugged. The thought crossed his mind that "maybe I just imangined whatever I thought I saw," but something told him that it wasn't quite that simple.

——

Harry found himself unable to go to sleep. Forgetting to put on his glamour this morning had cost him. What if Draco told somebody? Worse still, what if he told their Head of House? Or the Headmaster?

The other reason he couldn't sleep was because he knew nightmares would come once he did fall asleep. Nightmares of Dudley's gang chasing him-though that had stopped the day he'd found Harry in the cupboard, beaten by his drunk uncle again-being called a freak and being hit.

Dudley. His cousin had been kind to him lately before he'd left, where his parents had only become more awful to Harry. He wondered how the boy was doing. Knowing he wouldn't be able to fall asleep, he decided to write Dudley a letter.

_Hey Dudley,_

_I doubt you'd want to hear from me. As far as I can remember, you've never seemed to like me. So I don't know why I'm writing to you. Maybe it's because the week before I left, things seemed to change between us. Then again, maybe I was imagining it. If I did not imagine it, then I would like to thank you for being nice to me._

_I don't know of there's a way to send things through Muggle post-muggles are people who can't do magic-so I'm sorry if the owl scares you or your parents. Her name's Hedwig, and if you'd like to give her a piece of Bacon, she'd appreciate it._

_How have things been for you since I left? I hope Vernon hasn't taken to hurting you since I'm not there. As cruel as you had admittedly been in the past, nobody deserves that._

_Have you started at Smeltings yet? If you have, I hope that walking stick you got comes in handy._

Harry smirked at this. He doubted Dudley would appreciate hearing it called a walking stick.

_Anyway, I hope things are well. You're welcome to write me back, though if you don't want to write your freakish cousin, I understand._

_Harry_

He folded the parchment into thirds and wrote, Dudley Dursley on it. Here's to hoping that if his Uncle saw it, he wouldn't rip it up, and that Dudley would give it a chance before destroying. Harry looked at the clock on the dresser across from him. 1 am. He sighed and climbed back into bed, deciding that he would take it to the Owlry in the morning.

Eventually, sleep found him, and so did the nightmares.

——

Dudley winced as he opened his eyes at 5:30 the next morning. His eye still hurt from when his father had punched it the day before.

"Morning Dudders! It's your first day at Smeltings! Time to get a shower dear!" His mum called, and he heard his father grunt his approval.

He groaned, dragging himself into the bathroom, still groggy with sleep. Dudley looked in the mirror, where a black eye stared back at him.

Great. How will I answer people when they ask how I got it?

He spent his time in the shower, and then eventually went down to breakfast, where his mother made his favorite, blueberry pancakes.

"Are you excited, sweetums?"

"Yep." He answered halfheartedly.

I'm actually a bit nervous.

"Dudders sounds nervous!" his father chortled. He was sober for once, which surprised Dudley. But it was probably only because he wanted to see Dudley off to the school he had gone to as a teenager.

Well, I probably wouldn't be nervous if you hadn't made the vision in my left eye all blurry.

Dudley finished his pancakes. "I'm ready to go."

All three of them made their way towards the garage and into the car in an awkward silence. His mother drive, which made sense because his dad hadn't had a usable license since Grunnings fired him some time ago.

"I'm sure to hit a lot of kids with that stick of yours, eh, Dudley?" His father laughed and his mother made a weird noise. Dudley just looked at his shoes and didn't respond.

The rest of the drive was silent. Maybe his parents thought he was too nervous to speak. In any case, he was glad his father hadn't needed an answer.

Finally, they arrived that the school. He jumped out of the car the moment they parked, and so, to his embarressment, did his mother.

"Oh my precious Diddykins! How did you grow up so fast!" She gushed, squeezing all the aur out of him as she gave her son a hug and kissing him all over his face.

"Muuuuum..." He groaned. "You're embarressing me..."

"R-right." She said sadly. Love you Duddy. Have a great year!" She saod, smiling.

In spite of what he'd said a few minutes ago, he hugged his mom and smiled.

A few minutes later, his parents finally left,

and he found himself standing in the parking lot by himself. He was debating on going to find Piers before school started, when a snowy white owl flew up to him.

"Woah!" He exclaimed, jumping backwards.

He saw that the owl had a letter tied to her leg, ehich must mean that she came from Harry.

Harry is writing to me? he thought in wonder as he untied the letter from her leg. The owl flew away without a second glace, and Dudley glanced at the parchment. His name was written in a loopy cursive.

He was just about to open it when Piers Polkiss found him.

"Hey Dud. Who's the letter from?"

He looked up. Dudley didn't realize that the whole time, he'd made his way from the back of the parking-lot to the front of the school.

"Morning Polks. I dunno, but we better get to class before we're late."

Dudley could tell he was changing, because that was definetly something he wouldn't have worried about before. Piers looked at him oddly for a moment before he relunctly followed Dudley to class.

——

It was lunchtime, and he'd found himself in the bathroom by himself. Closing the letter, he sniggered.

A walking stick. Ha. Harry didn't know what it was really used for. If he was honest with himself though, he preferred to use it as a walking stick.

He walked out and sat at a table next to Piers, taking an enpty paper and a pen from his bag.

_Harry_,

He looked up, realizing that Piers was speaking to him.

"See that little blonde geek over there?" He asked, pointing at the end of the table next to them.

"Yeah?" Dudley responded, and his stomach twisted, knowing where this was going.

"I think that little tike needs to learn a lesson. Maybe have his head down a toilet?"

"No!" Dudley exclaimed.

He had no idea where that reaponse came from.

"Okay..." Started Piers, and he turned away, lost in thought.

Dudley turned back to the letter.

_Harry,_

_Parchment? And a quill? Why not a pen and paper, like a normal person?_

_Your owl startled me at first, I will admit. But she caught me at school-after mum and dad had left, so there was no chance of dad seeing her. She's a beautiful owl, by the way. Sadly, I did not have any bacon nearby, but I will keep that in mind for next time._

_Speaking of Smeltings, I started today. We'll see how I like it soon enough. Piers is with me, so at least I know somebody._

_Things at home have been fine._

Dudley paused. Should he tell Harry about his black eye? No, he decided. He knew, from Harry's cupboard that one day, that he'd recieved so much worse than a black eye. His black eye wasn't worth complaining about.

Then again, why did Harry care? He shrugged and kept writing.

_Things at home have been fine. Dad hasn't talked to me much. He mostly stays in bed all day hungover._

_I've been going out and doing the normal things I do with mum, and hanging out with Piers and the gang. Things've been alright._

_So-those people who came to the house on your birthday-were they really Wizards? Are you really a Wizard, and do you have a wand? Mum and dad always told me magic wasn't real..._

_I rather like hearing from you, cousin. Don't be silly. Can't wait to hear from you again!_

_Dudley_

He folded the letter in half. There's a post office right across the street from the school, he remembered. He'd go there just before the train after school today.

"I know!" Piers snapped his fingers excitedly. "The kid needs a lesson. What if we give him a black eye!"

"No!" Dudley shouted, rather rudely this time. He glared at his friend, and suddenly Piers understood.

"Oh..." He said. "I've been meaning to ask you all day. How'd you get that black eye, anyway."

Dudley widend his eyes and cursed. Should've known that question would come sooner rather than later.

"I...ah...got in a fight." He muttered.

"Oh! With who? Your freakish cousin? He's always struck me as odd..."

"No, with some rich neighborhood kid."

"Oh. Does your eye mean you've lost?"

"Of course not!" Dudley saud indignantly. "It was a fair fight!"

"Right..."

The bell rang then, signalling the end of lunch.


End file.
